To the Members of Brantford Minor Hockey:

I’d like to take this opportunity to update you on the construction of the new arena complex and what it will mean for next season.

• Grading of the site has been completed and the foundations for all four new surfaces are just about finished.
• Two of the rinks are taking shape with steel beams, girders and trusses in place.
• The original plan was to have two new surfaces ready for September 2010.
• The intent now is to have all four surfaces ready for February 2011, meaning the blue and red rinks will remain in use for most of the 2010/11 season.
• The only ice in Brantford from mid-May through late August 2010 will be the red rink.
• Brantford Minor Hockey will hold tryouts for all its ‘AAA’ teams, except Major Midget, beginning April 13^th. Tryouts will also be held for ‘A’ teams. More information is posted on our website.

Brantford Minor Hockey will continue to ensure that the transition into our new facility goes smoothly and continue to communicate with you the progress. We are also working diligently to have minimal disruption to our programs.

We are heading into some very exciting times for minor hockey in Brantford and when the new Gretzky Centre is completed it will be a facility we all deserve and will be proud of.

To follow the construction of the new Gretzky Centre click here

Sincerely

Carolyn Rollins

President – Brantford Minor Hockey

January 21, 2010

Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre

254 North Park St.

Brantford, Ont.,

N3R 4L1

Dear Wayne Gretzky Arena customers:

As you all know, the original Building Canada – Phase 2 construction schedule called for the closure of the Red & Blue rinks in May 2010 with 2 of the 4 new rinks being scheduled to be ready in September of 2010. This left the City of Brantford with no ice surfaces for the summer of 2010 and created some concerns about being able to start the 2010/2011 season on time due to any unanticipated construction delays that may have come up over the summer building season.

Yesterday at the Steering Committee meeting for the Wayne Gretzky Centre project, the construction manager proposed a new schedule of completion for the arena part of the project and the Committee approved it.

The new schedule for completion of Phase 2 of the project – the arena portion – will be February 2011. This means that all 4 rinks and the gym portion of the project will be completed and delivered at the same time. This also means that 2 of the 4 new rinks will not be ready for September 2010 as was anticipated in the original schedule.

The good news is that we are going to continue to operate the Red & Blue rinks until the new arenas are completed. That means that the City will now have one rink of summer ice available for 2010 and that there will be no possible construction delays in getting the 2010/2011 season started on time. The Red & Blue rinks will continue to operate as they have in the past until the new rinks are ready.

This scenario presents challenges in rescheduling the summer again as we still remain one ice surface short for the summer months. It also means that the challenges faced in continuing to operate the old arenas i.e. dressing rooms, remains for almost another whole season.

Eric Burke

Manager, Arenas & Fields